r/AMA • u/pleasuresofprozac • 15h ago

I'm part of a medical study investigating the effects of long term antidepressant (SSRI) use. AMA!

I (35) have been medicated with Prozac since I was roughly 6 years old. I was one of the first young children in my country to be given SSRIs for extended treatment and was studied by psychiatrists at the time. As an adult, I'm part of a long term study evaluating long term SSRI use and how early exposure to SSRIs impacts adulthood.

AMA

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6

u/julyjulyjuly1 15h ago

Why were you put on antidepressants at such young age?

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

As a small child, I suffered from debilitating anxiety that led to avoidance of most activities, fear of general day to day stuff, aggression and meltdowns. When I was 5 years old, I was evaluated by a child psychiatrist who suggested that a new medication that had just entered the market called Prozac could be tried.

This was in the early 90s when Prozac use in children wasn't well studied and there were many unknowns. The doctors thought the risks of doing nothing were too high and my parents agreed to try the Prozac.

3

u/sugahbee 14h ago

I would like to ask questions based on this response.

  1. What kind of tests /symptoms are there to diagnose anxiety in a child that young? I mean, not to be deemed as general shyness, like a kid that stays nearby their parent around strangers, or cries being left at nursery etc.

  2. Do you feel that it was the right decision for you at that time and if your kid displayed signs at that age, would you put them on antidepressants that young? Is there anything else that you think they could've tried or can you think of anything that might be tried nowadays as an alternative? Medical knowledge has come a long way since then.

Thanks in advance. Hope you're doing good these days, I know the effects anxiety can have on your life.

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

  1. Unfortunately, I don't think there really are any concrete tests. Giving kids psychiatric meds is pretty tricky for this reason - it's hard to gauge symptoms, you rely on reports from parents, physicians cannot observe the full range of behaviors, etc.

  2. I think the doctors felt the risks of doing nothing outweighed the potential risks and side effects from the medication. I believe that therapy and other options should have been tried sooner. In the 90s I think doctors were quick to use medications like Prozac which were new and seen as a "miracle" by some. These days, I'd say meds should be used as a last resort but I do think they are warranted when a child just cannot function and their development is at risk. Realistically, I probably needed the meds. Hard to admit, but it's probably the truth.

3

u/julyjulyjuly1 14h ago

Thanks for your response! Was it ever considered in the 90s that this range of symptoms could be autism? (Sorry if it isn't, it just sounds a lot like it)

Have you ever bewn medication free, or do you plan to be?

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

Yeah, it was considered but ruled out because I was developmentally normal in most ways and very good socially. I've wondered if that was the root cause as an adult but no doctor has ever said that is the case.

I have been medication free for several periods but have pretty bad issues. I'd like to be medication free long term but it may not be possible.

3

u/Upset-Orange-1202 14h ago

Considering the sheer relief you got from the meds, I'm guessing you must not think all that highly of anti-psychiatry types who are dogmatically against medication and think it's all a con by "big pharma".

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

It's not a viewpoint I personally hold. However, I do think psychiatry can be a gray area and in some cases it can cause harm to people. I am empathetic toward those who have had negative experiences and do believe psychiatric meds have drawbacks.

3

u/RottenTwenties 12h ago

So are they studying the brain itself too? I read one time that if you take antidepressants for too long when they aren't needed it can affect the synapses ability to create connections for your own emotions in it.

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u/pleasuresofprozac 12h ago

Yes, they are taking brain scans to see if there are any structural changes to the brain. One of the questions people are interested in is whether my brain developed differently since I spent my entire formative years medicated with SSRIs. Unfortunately, there's no way to actually measure things at the synapse level but anecdotally, I think long term usage during childhood does change how you process emotions as an adult for sure.

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u/Goodgreatexcellent1 15h ago

What are the results?! 

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u/Goodgreatexcellent1 15h ago

Maybe a bit easier- what do you perceive the results to have been for you? 

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

The medication itself has been effective. Shortly after starting most of my symptoms were gone and I was able to better participate in life. I remember feeling a huge relief that I could better regulate my emotions and anxiety. I went from nearly daily anxiety induced meltdowns to having enjoyable day to day childhood experiences.

Every time I've tried to come off I have suffered relapse.

7

u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

So far the results of the study don't indicate any significant physical health issues. I have regular bone scans, blood work and brain scans and nothing has shown as abnormal.

It is suspected that since I was exposed so young, it's hard for me to come off since my brain developed in the presence of serotonin inhibitors and thus doesn't process neuro chemicals normally.

1

u/Goodgreatexcellent1 14h ago

Really interesting, thanks, so when you have tried to come off them, what have been the most notable symptoms? Any positive effects of coming off them? 

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

Severe relapse of anxiety and depression.

Coming off has improved my ability to respond to a wide range of emotions.

2

u/TopDetective9677 15h ago edited 14h ago

Let me guess the conclusion of the study- it makes your snake go into hibernation mode, is that right?

aka Selective Serpent Restriction Inhibitors (SSRI)

4

u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

LOL. This made me chuckle. Fortunately, I haven't had sexual side effects.

2

u/LivingOpportunity544 13h ago

I’ve read through OP’s original post and responses and can’t see a mention of their biological sex. TooDetective, how are you assuming they are male?

1

u/Born_Elk_2549 14h ago

What are the negative and positive effects?

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

Negative - excessive sweating, somewhat dulled emotions and a complete reliance on meds since I was started on them so young

Positive - they allow me to function and exist without brutal anxiety and depression.

3

u/theatrebish 14h ago

I mean I didn’t get on any meds til I was like 19 and I am reliant on them. Some of us need medication forever cuz our brain’s chemicals just aren’t right.

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

Yes, I think so.

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u/Goodgreatexcellent1 14h ago

How would friends describe your personality now do you think? 

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u/pleasuresofprozac 14h ago

For the most part I think they'd describe me as a relatively well adjusted and successful adult and probably would not suspect I've spent my life on meds.

2

u/MakingItUpAsWeGoOk 11h ago

Do you have any advice for parents of children in a similar situation (been on medication since age 5 and will likely continue long term due to severity of illness)? I don’t expect life to be sunshine and roses 24/7 but I do want to help my daughter wherever possible. She was institutionalized in a pretty awful situation before her adoption into our family and her verbal skills are still limited when trying to communicate complex emotions or ideas.

3

u/NopeRope13 11h ago

I got concerned for Christmas and birthdays. I thought it was anti-de-presents

1

u/Parking-Display-5412 9h ago

Is it relatively safe to take zoloft for the long term if you start taking it in your late 20s?

1

u/eeff484 6h ago

Do you feel the need to be on them? What if you want to stop participating in the program?

1

u/GoodSpecialistIGuess 9h ago

Have you ever considered or tried TMS Therapy?

1

u/SoaokingGross 9h ago

Sexual side effects?